Improved spring-mattress



I gnitoh tales gaunt @fftrt.

Letters Patent No. 74,528, dated February I8, 1868.

IMPROVED SPRING-MATTRESS.

t the fitted: were it in than Ztrttrtt new tart mating mm at its tttiltt.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONGERN:.

.Be it known that I, AUGUST GEBHARD, of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Mattresses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fu1l,'cle'ar, and exact description'thereof, reference being hadtothe accompanying drawing, making part of this specification.

This'inventiou relates to mode of constructing that class of mattresses in which double conical spiral springs are used, and in suspending, by elastic webbing attached to the upper-frame, a. canvas covering over the space enclosed by-the frame, on which to build the ordinary stutfing of hair, cotton, or,other material; the whole combining unusual lightness 'with requisite strength and elasticity.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical'section through the mattress.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the framework with the top stuffing removed to show more clearly the construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The following description will enable skilled artisans to make and use my invention.

The mattress in its-simplest form is composed of twp-light rectangular frames of wood, A and B, the upper one, A, of which is made of hickory or other tough elastic wood, about one-fourth of an inch in thickness, and

the lower one, B, of the-same matcriah'from one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick. The upper frame is covered with hemp-canvas or tburlapsfg lued thereto to make it strong. Theframes are made a little wider than th e enddiameters of the springs C, which are set between the frames, as shown, and are secured thereto by stripsof cloth nailed over their endnoi-ls. The number of springs used will depend upon the weight to be sustained. Ordinarily there will be ahou't thirty-six springs required. The frames are stayed by twine braces'D, as indicated by the red dotted linesin fig. 1. The twine that is fastened to the lower frame B, at the righthand corner, crosses'the other at the middle, and is secured to the upper frame attire leftrhand' corner,.and cz'cewerszz. When the mattress is made to fold, as shown in the drawings, the twine braces D are piit on, as shown in black lines, fig. 1. A double linen sacking is stretched across the opening enclosed by the top frame, being some two inches less in 1cn gth and width than thc open-ing, and has rods F sewed in its margins, and is suspended from the frame A on'elastic-wcbbing straps G, as shown in fig. 2. The mattress may be made with or without the spring-bolster attachment, which consists of a light frame, J, hinged toi'rame A by twine drawn through holes bored in each, and is' also further strengthened by the ticking tacked thereto. The outer edge of. this frame is supported at an angle, as shown, on springs Kmade of wire, with two or three coils in. the middle, and theends extending some six to eight inches, with a ring formed on each-end, by which they are secured to the frames A and J, by straps of cloth tacked over them into the frames, The mattress may also be made to' fold in the middle, in which case the bottom frame B is. made in two parts, and the top frame A is "out in halves, and hinged by double hinges I, as sliown, so as to fold over the stufling H, which is. placed on the top frame, as shown. The stulhng' H may be of any material usually employed for this purpose, such as hair, moss, cotton, or sponge, and is made up in the usual manner, and covered with ticking, and the sides and ends of the mattress-frameare also to ,be enclosed with ticking tacked to the frames A B, and the bottom is also to be covered so as to excludedust and vermin. I

A marked advantage of my invention consists in its comparative lightness, by which it is made much more convenient to handle. This arises from the use of the lightframes A B, combined with theconstruct-ion throughout, by which I am enabled to -ns'e fewersprings. I also dispense with the heavy frame and. slats employed in the old method of constructing spring-mattresses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.--

The combination of the hinged frame A and its springs with'the interior sacking E, supported by the rods Fand straps G, to the side of the'frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

' AUGUST GEBHARD.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN COLLINS,

0, F. Marnnw. 

